AOTA members receive the biweekly OT Practice Pulse e-newsletter where we share resources and news from AOTA and other sources that directly affect occupational therapy practice—curated just for members! Here on the Checking the Pulse blog, I will share even more relevant and interesting news, videos, blogs, and more.

I read hundreds of articles about health, wellness, and policy every week to find the most engaging and enlightening content for you. Blog readers can stay in the know, go beyond the news, and find out how the latest health news affect occupational therapy.

AOTA's Checking the Pulse blog is written by digital editor Stephanie Yamkovenko who reads hundreds of health and policy articles weekly to find the most engaging and enlightening content. Go beyond the news and learn how it affects OT.

A Few More TV Shows We Think OT Peeps Will Enjoy: Fall TV Preview

It’s that time of year again! Fall television shows are launching new seasons. Last year we shared a dozen shows we thought you’d love and we’re back again with a few more!

Speechless, ABC

This was on our list last year as a new TV show we were excited about. Season 1 gave us all the feels! (And based on your colleagues live tweets during each episode, we think they loved it too!). Speechless is back for Season 2 on September 27. Watch the hilarious DiMeo family, including son J.J. who has cerebral palsy, deal with challenges (and create new ones!). Here’s the cast giving their “elevator pitches” for the show.

This Is Us, NBC

This show won a SAMHSA Voice Award for its accurate portrayal of anxiety, addiction, and recovery. It’s back for Season 2 starting September 26! It is a tear jerker of a show—if you’ve never seen it, you might even cry just watching the season 1 trailer.

One Day at a Time, Netflix

Another Voice Award winner, this show was awarded for its accurate portrayal of PTSD, addiction, and recovery storylines. Three generations of a Cuban-American family live in the same house, including a newly single Army Nursing Corps veteran returning to civilian life. This comedy deals with important issues common to many veterans. Watch a trailer.

Framed as a funny and melodramatic telenovela, the show takes many opportunities to address and educate viewers on issues such as mental illness and addition. Season 3 of the show won a Voice Award for its portrayal of grief, panic attacks, mental illness, and addiction.

The Good Doctor, ABC

Premiering September 25, The Good Doctor follows the life of a surgeon with autism and savant syndrome. The executive producer said the show argues against attitudes and prejudices that make it more difficult for people with disabilities to find employment.

Recommended With Reservations...

The next show on the list has been criticized by some because the show didn’t consult people with autism during production or cast anyone with autism in the lead roles (similar criticism has been made about The Good Doctor as well). We’re sharing it here in case you want to form your own opinions and get involved in the conversations around “nothing about us, without us.”

Atypical, Netflix

The 18-year-old main character in this dramatic comedy series is on a quest to find a girlfriend. It’s a coming of age story, but this time its centered on autism. Critics of the show say its representation of autism falls short and some find its attempts at humor only reinforce stereotypes. One critic says, “How horrible if young autistic people watch this and feel ashamed for doing something that helps them to think and function in the world.” Have you watched it yet? What was your take?